Having Trouble Getting Pregnant? Here Are Some Options

For most of your life, you try not to get pregnant. But then there’s an isolated window of time where you desire to start and grow a family. And, for the most part, you assume that once you’re finally ready, you’ll be able to get pregnant rather effortlessly. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work out this way. Infertility issues are common in today’s society, but there are also plenty of solutions.

Infertility: Common, Yet Frustrating

“Infertility means not being able to get pregnant after one year of trying (or six months if a woman is 35 or older). Women who can get pregnant but are unable to stay pregnant may also be infertile,” WomensHealth.gov explains.

Though it isn’t discussed as much as it should be, infertility is a frustrating issue for millions of Americans. Research from RESOLVE shows:

• 1 in 8 married couples have trouble getting pregnant or sustaining a pregnancy.
• Roughly 7.4 million women – or 11.9 percent of all women – have received at least one infertility service in their lifetime.
• Roughly one-third of infertility issues are attributed to the female partner, one-third to the male partner, and one-third to a combination of both partners.
• Data shows that couples between the ages of 29-33 with a normal functioning reproductive system have a 20-25 percent chance of conceiving in any month given month (assuming unprotected sex). After six months of trying, 60 percent of couples will conceive without assistance.

5 Options for Conception

After six months to a year of unsuccessfully trying to get pregnant, couples generally start to consider fertility issues and possible solutions. But with so many different options, it isn’t always easy to know which path to pursue.

To help shine a spotlight on the issue, let’s take a look at some of the more popular and effective options infertile couples have available to them.

• Medication

There are a number of medications on the market that can increase your chances of getting pregnant. The most commonly prescribed fertility drugs are clomiphene and gonadotropins. These drugs regulate your reproductive hormones and are designed to trigger the release of one or more eggs during each ovulation cycle. Your doctor will likely prescribe one of these drugs for six months before trying other options.

• Advanced Diagnostic Testing

Fertility drugs don’t always do the trick. If you’re struggling to get pregnant with clomiphene or gonadotropins, advanced diagnostic testing may be necessary to identify the cause of your infertility.

One method is to track ovulation by monitoring blood work. This will ensure that your hormone levels are correct (and that you’re actually ovulating). You can also get a saline ultrasound or hysterosalpingography (HSG) to ensure your fallopian tubes are open. (Interestingly enough, many women actually find it easier to get pregnant after the HSG test.) It’s also important to have the male partner’s sperm tested to see if the fertility issues are occurring on his end.

• Fertility Treatments

While expensive, some fertility treatment options can be pursued in order to increase the chances of conceiving. These include intrauterine insemination (IUI), in vitro fertilization (IVF), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), and gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT).

• Surrogacy

Depending on the state you’re located in and the details of your situation, surrogacy may be a good option. With the assistance of a gestational surrogate, you can have a baby that’s conceived from your egg and your spouse/partner’s sperm. Take some time to learn more about surrogacy and whether or not it’s a good fit for your family.

• Adoption

Adoption is always an option for growing your family. Whether private or public, this can be a special process for both your family and the child. As with surrogacy, it’s important that you do your research and learn as much as you can.

Make Your Own Decision

When dealing with infertility, it’s challenging to know what to do. There are so many different voices, and clarity can be hard to come by. Having said that, it’s ultimately your decision to make. Gather the facts, consider your situational factors, and sit down with your partner for a serious discussion on how to proceed. One option may stick out as being the obvious choice, or you may need to spend time weighing the pros and cons of various paths. Either way, it’s your decision to make.